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28 September 2020 With the lockdown, 41% of Italians have reduced food waste.

This is what an Altroconsumo survey reveals on the occasion of the International Day of Awareness for Food Losses and Waste, which will take place tomorrow.

In particular, the survey shows a growing awareness of Italians: as many as 88% of respondents argue that it is unethical to throw away food and 83% recognize the negative impact on the environment.



Along with awareness, there is a strong desire for change, with 83% of respondents declaring a significant commitment to reduce food waste at home even though 73% believe that waste is attributable more to food industry choices, distribution and catering, more than for the family.

The quarantine last spring, therefore, generated a positive change in habits.



41% of respondents said they had reduced the amount of food wasted, also thanks to more careful behavior: 38% filled out the shopping list more often, 37% planned meals more methodically and 32% reused leftovers more often.

While in the first part of the year only 42% of Italians had declared that they did not waste food at home, in April the figure rose to 68%. 



Altroconsumo has also taken a photograph that highlights the habits that lead to waste: a few simple precautions would help many to reduce the amount of food that ends up in the garbage.

Before going shopping, 50% of Italians are not in the habit of planning meals for the following days, 33% of filling out the shopping list and 22% of checking what they already have at home.



An impulsive approach to shopping should be avoided: arriving at the supermarket, 1 in 4 families often buy food that they had not foreseen, almost 1 in 10 ends up buying too much food due to promotions and 7% for impulse purchases.

Back home, one out of three Italians does not put away food in order to consume the oldest food first with the result that 32% say they throw away food not consumed in time and 20% because it is badly stored.

Even superficial planning of lunches and dinners fuels opportunities for waste: 20% of respondents say they throw away food because they have bought too much. 



There are also other factors that affect 'food waste': 39% of respondents would waste less food if they had more opportunities to buy bulk food and 56% believe that the wording 'best to be consumed by' should be changed to better clarify that products can be safely consumed even after the date indicated.



There are several reasons that lead to food waste when eating away from home: 3 out of 4 Italians do not have the possibility to order small portions in most of the bars and restaurants they frequent with the result that 48% happen to have food left over on their plate, but only 1 in 4 always or often asks to be able to take it away, mainly because they believe that the amount of leftover food is too little (57%), out of embarrassment (46%) or inconvenience (29%).